Spurs' whole game has Blazers in a big hole

Looking like his cat just died after the Trail Blazers fell to the San Antonio Spurs 118-103, Portland guard Wesley Matthews acknowledged a trend.

Its the same story, he said.

For the third game in a row, the Blazers on Saturday watched the Spurs run circles around them in the first half and take a 20-point halftime lead.

We kept digging ourselves a hole, Matthews said.

Though the Blazers have repeatedly made second- half comebacks, they haven't been nearly enough to do more than raise Spurs coach Greg Popovichs blood pressure. The Blazers have won all three second halves, but they have lost each game of the NBA Western Conference semifinals by 15-plus points.

You dig a hole and then fight back and give yourself a chance, and they have an answer, Portland guard Damian Lillard said.

Forward Nicolas Batum said Saturday at Moda Center that he believes the Blazers didnt come out with the sense of urgency needed to hang with such a locked-in opponent.

Were down 20 at home in Game 3. We have to show who we are. We cant go out there, having fun like we did in the first half, Batum said.

The Spurs' future Hall of Fame point guard, Tony Parker, had his fingerprints all over San Antonios impressive first half in Game 3, scoring 20 points on 9-for-12 shooting before intermission.

Unlike in Game 2, where Matthews bottled up Parker for most of the night, Parker did collateral damage to the Blazers' pick-and-roll defense, knocking down 5 of 7 in-rhythm midrange jumpers in the first half. In Game 1, Parker made 5 of 8 midrange jumpers in the first half; in Game 2, he was 8 for 19.

Lillard said the Blazers wanted Parker to shoot from midrange because that is statistically the lowest percentage shot in basketball.

The same shots Tony was missing the other night, he was making tonight. They run a lot of movement for him, and he jumped off to a hot start, Lillard said.

Lillard said conceding two-point jumpers to ball handlers in pick-and-rolls is nothing new for Portland.

I pull up for a jumper, there are a lot of guys there. I drive to the rim and there are a lot of guys there, he said.

Lillard said playing against the Spurs has exposed him to a true championship caliber team.

Were just seeing them put on a clinic, how to execute, how to guard every option of the offense and be consistent at it. I dont think weve been consistent enough, Lillard said.

Matthews said he thinks it isnt any one thing the Spurs have done but is their salad bars worth of options that befuddles the Blazers.

Matthews on the Spurs' variety: Marco (Belinelli) comes in the game and they run a floppy action for him, they run a hammer action for Patty (Mills), they run a hanger screen for (Manu) Ginobili and they run a hanger screen for Parker.

Theyve got so many weapons.

In order to stop this treacherous three-game slide, Matthews said Portland should erase all memory of the last five days.

Forget Game 1, forget Game 2, forget tonight, we gotta get Monday, he said.

Batum is determined to not give the Spurs the satisfaction of sweeping the Blazers at Moda Center.

Game 4, we have to play a 48-minute game and beat them. You cant get swept on your home court, he said.

Matthews said the Blazers believe they can win Game 4 and give Blazers fans at least one last hurrah.

Were a prideful bunch and weve been through a lot together," he said. "We owe it to ourselves and our fans to not go out like this.

Though the big-four major American sports have had five successful comebacks from 3-0 (four in the NHL, one in the MLB and zero in the NBA) neither Lillard nor Batum said anyone should assume the series is over.

Nothing is impossible," Lillard said.

Added Batum: If we can make history, it can be great, you never know what can happen.